7 Google Chrome Features That Rock

Posted on 30. Dec, 2008 by DavidPierce in Browsers

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google-chrome-logoGoogle, the king of everything, recently released a Web browser called Chrome. It’s young, but rapidly improving, and is quickly becoming the first browser I open on a regular basis.

Even though it’s out of beta officially, Google is still in the early stages of the building of Chrome. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and forgo the “what I wish Chrome had” post. Instead, I’m going to focus on the things Chrome does so well that I’m willing to forget all the downsides, and still use it.

This is both a pro-Chrome list, and a wish list for other browsers (cough FIREFOX cough), features that would send me back to my old browsers.

Here are seven things I love about Chrome, and that I wish Firefox would adopt:

1. Google Gears Integration

gears

Google Gears is a browser plugin that allows you to continue to use certain applications offline. It syncs to your computer, and then syncs back to the Web once you’re connected to the Web again. In these apps, you’ll ideally never notice whether or not you’re online. Right out of the box, Chrome comes with Google Gears support. That means applications like Google Reader, Remember the Milk, Zoho and others can be accessed offline. Nothing to install, no bugs- it just works, right away.

2. Application Shortcuts

appsh

My Gmail page is open constantly. Instead of having it open in a browser, and having it get lost among the abyss of tabs I have open, I can have it in its own window thanks to Chrome. On any given website in Chrome, click the paper-looking thing in the top right corner, and select “Create Application Shortcuts…”

This will allow you to have a shortcut to that particular application that opens in its own window, without bookmarks or an address bar, and will work and feel just like a desktop app. If there are one or many applications you have perma-opened, this is a must-use.

3. One tab, One Process

process

Every tab you open in Chrome is a different process on your operating system. That means that if one tab fails (as is apt to happen with any browser) you can kill that particular one without having to close and reopen Chrome. With each tab as a standalone application (at least as your OS sees it), you can manage them more easily.

4. New Tabs

new-tab

Whenever you open a new tab, Chrome presents you with the glorious “New Tab” page. This page has the nine websites you visit most often, as well as a list of recent bookmarks and recently closed tabs. My favorite part, though- a search bar for searching through your browsing history. Every time you open a new tab, your browsing life is there in front of your eyes- a huge time saver if you visit the same websites frequently.

5. Your Own Private P.I.

hist1

I mentioned this already, but it merits its own point. Being able to search through your history prevents you from having to dig through mass piles of random sites all beginning with “http://www.google.com…” just to find the one you wanted. Just search for keywords or phrases, and go back in time more easily than ever.

6. Better Download Manager

downloads1

In Firefox, I have two primary issues with downloads. One, there’s often no telling where they go, or what they’re going to be called- my downloads often get arbitrarily named bizarre things. Also, any time I try to download something, it pops up a new window to show me the “Downloads Manager.” In Chrome, it couldn’t be easier. You click download, it opens up a small toolbar at the bottom of the tab showing me how much time is left, and an icon for it. One more click opens the file. It’s too easy.

7. One Box Search

searchit

In Firefox, there are two white bars: one’s the address bar, one’s the search bar. In Chrome, they’re all rolled into one. Type “Monkeys” into the Chrome address bar and press Enter, and you’ll get a Google search for monkeys. You’ll also get suggestions for searches like “monkeys as pets,” and links to any sites in your history with mentions of monkeys. The Chrome bar is powerful, easy to use, and much better than the Firefox Awesome Bar. Not to mention better named.

In Firefox and others, many of these features can be replicated with an extension or plugin. But with Chrome, they come right out of the box. No kinks, no problems, no slow start-up times- they just work. I still use Firefox every day (in fact, I’m in it right now), but Chrome is rapidly climbing the charts as my browser of choice.

Do you use Chrome? Why or why not?

David Pierce is a college student, Ultimate Frisbee player, and tech geek. He loves to watch movies, play golf in thunderstorms, and break stuff to figure out how to put it back together. In addition to writing for Lost in Technology, he writes his blog, The 2.0 Life, about how to make the most out of a digital world. In addition, you can follow him on Twitter , or just send him an email.

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9 Responses to “7 Google Chrome Features That Rock”

  1. Phao Loo

    31. Dec, 2008

    Nice list of things Chrome brings us. Chrome is a genius, but to become a popular browser like IE or Firefox, it need more add-ons, extensions. Google is now trying to market for it, and I download it the first time it released. But then, I return back to my Firefox because there are so many things aren’t there on Chrome like StumbleUpon toolbar, Delicious toolbar and seo add-ons.

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  2. What The New Year Brings for Me — The 2.0 Life

    01. Jan, 2009

    [...] Lost in Technology Lost in Technology is edited by Kyle Judkins, a new friend of mine and fellow author at Make Use Of. I’ve just started writing for his great blog, which I’m very much enjoying doing. Lost in Tech is full of great content, and I’m excited to be able to add something to it. Here’s my first post for Lost in Tech: 7 Google Chrome Features That Rock [...]

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  3. Colin

    01. Jan, 2009

    Personally, I can do without cheesy thumbnails of the sites I use most…I know what they look like thanks.

    I also owe Netscape/Mozilla/Firefox (communities) for having the guts to take on IE and making a fabulous product that I enjoy using and has helped me enormously – I’m not going o forget that just because a new (allegedly) shinier browser comes along.

    I think that if Google really want to see Chrome sizzle, they should engage the Firefox community more – cooperation, not competition.

    Reply to this comment

  4. David Pierce

    04. Jan, 2009

    @Phao Loo-

    I definitely agree about the extensions. For me, especially, the bookmarking stuff life delicious or Diigo is critical, and their toolbars and extensions keep me running back to Firefox. Once Google gets on board, I’m all over that.

    @Colin-

    You don’t like the thumbnails? I’m a fan, if only because they save me a mouse click into my bookmarks. And you’re definitely right- Chrome’s going to explode when they figure out how to engage Firefox developers and users. Doing that, though, is tough, and I feel like Google’s already got a leg up just because it’s Google.

    Reply to this comment

  5. machpe

    26. Feb, 2009

    I use Chrome daily.
    It’s replaced Firefox for me, and outshines IE and Opera imho.
    But didn’t know about the application shortcut option however.
    Just made my gmail an app.
    Thanks. :)

    Reply to this comment

  6. links for 2009-03-04 « EdTek

    05. Mar, 2009

    [...] 7 Google Chrome Features That Rock | LostInTechnology Great features of Google Chrome. (tags: google apps browser chrome) [...]

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  7. Slartibartfarst

    15. Apr, 2009

    Well, you could use Prism 0.9.1 (currently in ß) to create a stand-alone app for Firefox and which does roughly the same thing as a stand-alone app for Chrome, but the Chrome one uses the screen space slightly more efficiently. However, the Chrome one shows all the annoying advertising noise, which the Prism one does not (assuming you are using NoScrpt and AdBlockerPlus, like me – two of the most useful noise-reducing add-ins yet).

    So, yes, Chrome is good – it really is – but it does not compete with Firefox, in my view. I like to control my browsing experience please, and all the add-ons for Firefox let me do just that.

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  8. GutterMessiah

    09. Aug, 2009

    I like simplicity. I use Safari as it suits my nature. I downloaded Chrome out of curiosity and I love it. I like thumbnails, and the fact that the search bar and address bar are rolled into one. I don’t need addons, and I don’t need fluff.

    Thank you, Google.

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